A 17-0 first-half run ultimately proved to be the difference as St. Ambrose fell to Olivet Nazarene 78-60 Wednesday night at Lee Lohman Arena.
The Bees got off to a fast start against one of the conference leaders, scoring the game’s first five points on a 3-pointer from Nathan Moeller and a layup from Kieran Farrell. The advantage was 17-13 on an Ignacio Dacunda three more than 11 minutes into the contest.
But after Dacunda’s triple, SAU would not score again for more than six minutes. While the Bees misfired on nine straight shots from the floor, the Tigers ripped off the 17-0 run to go in front 30-17. A Jake Friel jumper ended the drought with just over two minutes remaining before halftime.
The deficit was just 36-26 at the half, but Olivet Nazarene (13-5, 8-2 CCAC) scored the first four points of the second half and led comfortably the rest of the way. The lead ballooned to as many as 27 points before St. Ambrose fought back late to fall by 18.
The Tigers shot better than 53 percent from the floor while the Bees shot at a 38-percent clip. ONU also claimed a 42-27 rebounding advantage. SAU forced 17 turnovers, but turned those into just eight points, while the Tigers scored 22 points off 16 Bee turnovers.
Will Spriggs was the lone Bee to score in double figures. He scored 20 of the team’s 34 second-half points to finish with 26 off the bench. Spriggs also collected six steals.
Dacunda scored nine and Amarey Wills added five, both also off the bench.
Farrell and Friel each netted five points, Grant Mason scored four, and Moeller and Andrew Morrissey each threw in three.
St. Ambrose, now 3-10 overall and 2-7 in the CCAC, will visit Roosevelt Saturday.
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